Safe sport jobs increase as Canadian sport sector responds to community
Safe sport and safeguarding in sport have become top priorities for the Canadian sport sector. Prevalence studies have revealed that athletes across different levels of sport frequently experience maltreatment (Alexander et coll., 2011; Vertommen et coll., 2016; US Center for SafeSport, 2021; Willson et coll., 2022). Equity deserving athletes experience more harm in sport (Burdsey,…
(Re)building cultural integrity in sport: The mechanics, tools and blueprint for change
Sport is the most watched, celebrated, supported, and engaging social endeavour in the world (Hulteen et coll., 2017). Sport is inherently emotionally and narratively captivating, embodying and upholding principles of positive and sustainable human, social, and environmental development. But the potential for sport to do good for participants and society more broadly relies on sport…
A theory of change for Canadian sport: Dorothy Paul on culture change
Highlights: 2 Loops Theory of Change seeks to describe and model organizations as living beings with life cycles Indigenous sport leader, Dorothy Paul, advocates for 2 Loops Theory as a lens to consider cultural shift within the Canadian sport sector In this SIRCuit article, SIRC interviews Paul to gain her perspective on cultural change, pressing…
The Sport Information Resource Centre is celebrating its 50th anniversary!
Ottawa – The Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC) is thrilled to announce we are celebrating our 50th anniversary! Founded in 1973, as a library for sports-related information, SIRC has evolved into a leading knowledge broker for the Canadian sport community. Over the past 5 decades, SIRC has focused on synthesizing evidence-based information into practical, easy-to-understand…
Governance in membership organizations
The landscape of Canadian sport is populated by thousands of membership based nonprofit organizations. In the sporting context, membership organizations are ones in which members pay fees motivated by their interest to participate in their chosen sport (for example, a Masters athlete paying dues to a local track club). As result of that financial investment,…
All aboard: How to successfully onboard incoming athletes
From the sports field to the boardroom, groups are everywhere! Think back to a time when you were joining a new group. Did you feel uncertain or nervous? Did you know what was expected of you in your new role? These feelings are quite common and completely normal for athletes as they transition into new…
Coach development programming for athletes with disabilities
Coaches’ understandings of disability are crucial, not only to athlete development, but also to athletes’ experiences of inclusion and community. When athletes perceive coaches to be unaccommodating or uninformed, they may feel excluded. Leadership programs like the Steadward Centre’s Athletes2Coaches show how supporting athletes with disabilities in undertaking coaching development helps to fill a gap…
Effective sport governance
To govern effectively, a board must become more knowledgeable about its members and stakeholders and understand their values and priorities. Only after focusing on this primary relationship can the board lead. A steward-leadership approach can help sport organization boards to provide vision and direction for the organization while enabling staff to apply their expertise, exercise…
Investing in women sport leadership opportunities
The importance of investing in women and gender-diverse leaders, and prioritizing gender equity has never been more evident for organizations. In the 2022 Rally Report, 80% of girls surveyed said they would stay in sport if there were more sport leaders and role models. However, 52% of women sport leaders said they feel there are…
Digital future-proofing for sport organizations
“Organizations need to be dealing not just with the ‘now’ but to start to think about future-proofing themselves. Asking, what are you doing now? Not for next week, but to prepare for the next 3-5 years?” says Michael Naraine, an Associate Professor of Sport Management at Brock University. To him, future-proofing is dependent on good…